Improvement in vote-recording machines



5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. WESTON. VOTE RECORDING MACHINE.

No 113,376. Patented Apr. 4, 1871.

5 SheetsSheet 2. A. WESTON. VOTIE RECORDING MACHINE.

No. 113,376. iPat-en-ted Apr. 4 1871.

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A. WESTON. VOTE RECORDING 1111101111111.

No. 113,376. Patented Apr. 4, 1871.

5 Shet's-Sheet 4.

A. WESTON.

VOTE RECORDING MACHINE.

'No. 113,376. Patpnted Apr. 4, 1871.

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5 Sheets-$heet 5.

A. WESTON. VOTE RECORDING MACHINE.

No 113,376. Patented Apr. 4, 1871 Jgai iihiihzl' nitric;

ADAN WESTON. OF KEESEVILLEH NEW-YORK.

Le'tlgers Patent No. 113,376, dated April 4, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN VOTE-RECORDING MACHlNES.

The Schedule reten'odto in than Letters Patent and making part of the some.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Dr. ADAN WEBL'OX, of Keeseville, in the county of Essex and State olNe-w fork, have'invented a new and improved Legislative Teller and Recorder; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing making a part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a transverse sectional elevation Figure 2 is a rear elevation; 4

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the err-liens chain that carries the voting-pins;

, Figure dis a partial end elevation showing the mechanism by which the printing-pres: is brought up to the cushions, and the holding-bars thrown into look with the voting-pins;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the endless chain with some of the voting-pins, and a horizontal section of the inclined surface that'throws t-he'roting-pins back;

Figure 6 is a partiallongitudinal vertical section showing the voting-pins in the act of turning the toothed wheel that causes the rotation of the footingup chain;

Figure 7'. iso front elevation of the printing-press;

Figure 8 is'a front elevation of the double rows of blocks and the frame that holds them Figure 9is a plan view of the same; 7

Figure 10 includes plan views ol the two rollers "rhatcarry the endless chain;

Figure 11 includes transrerse sectional elevations of the same; and

Figure 12 is a transverse vertical section of the printing-press.

This inventionxrelatcs to a machine intended spe elally for use in legislative bodies, and which enables each'meinber, by pulling one'knob when he intends to vote yes, and another knob when he'intcnds to vote no, to display the number of his seat, either in the yes or'no. column,'-ln a conspicuous manner on a plate elevated in fullvi'ew from all-parts of 'tliehall; and also,

to cause a pin, cit-her in a yes or no series, to.;'noject;v

from one side ol'an endless chain; after whichgn opcrator, by putting the endless chain in motioincauses the projecting pnrtsol' said pins of they'es series to euchstrike one of the teeth of a serrated wheel and turn the same, which wheel effects and displays conspicuously the foot-lug up of the whole number of years, and also causes the projecting parts of the pins of the no series to turn the wheel that fonts-up and displays the whole number of noes. Said operator by turning acrank also draws a printing-press forward against blocks tl1atare sustained by the ends of the said projecting pins, and effects the simultaneous printing of two separate and complete lists of yeas and. noes, whereupon, finally, the apparatus is put in order for the next registering-of the seats, footing up of the votes, and printing of the list.

. Referring to the drawing- A is the front of the case "that incloses the apparains; and

a b are knobs projecting from the front ofthe case, and arranged in two parallel rows, one for ayes and the other for noes, the number of knobs in each row equaling the whole number of the members of the legislative body for whose use the machine is intended.

Each knob is connected by a wire with the lower ,id of a vertical lever, B. The'vertical levers B are ali placed side by side in a. row at the back of the case A, their common fulcrum being a horizontal rod running through the lovers, near their upper ends, from one side of the case to the other.

A horizontal plate, 0, suitably" attached at its extremities to the case A, in rear of the levers B, bears spa-ingmnre 0, one to each lever, the lower ends of which bars are connected with the levers, near the lower extremities of the lat-tor, by wires, and, consequentiy, tend to keep the levers drawn back against a shoulder formedon the bottom of the case A.

The levers ii thatare connected with the yea-knobs or alternate with those that are connected with she no-knohs Z1.

To the upper parts of the yea-levers are fastened the lower port-ions of spring-plates a, and to the upper parts of the no-lev "s are fastened the lower portions of spring-plates 1:.

Both sets of plates are bent inward near their upper extremities, which are in contact with the rear side of the display-plate D, that'is elevated in a position where all may see its front side.

The display-plate contains two or more horizontal rows of orifices, one above the other, the number of orifices'in each division being equal to the number of members; and on its rear side a guide-way is formed back of each ori co, in which guide-way is placed a horizontal sliding piste, d, which .is of such length as to keepthe orifice always closed whether the plate is raised or lowered in the guide-way.

Cu the upper halves of the front sides of the plates d of each row is inscribed the same series of numbers which is inscribed on the seats of the members, one

number toeach plate, while the lower halves of the plates (1 are blank.

The lower extremities of the plates (1 of the upper or yea-row rest, when fully drawn up, on the turned in ends of the spring-plates a, and the lower extremi lies of the lower or no-row of plates (1 rest, when fully drawn up, on the turned-in ends of the spring-plates l1. \Vhen a member, in order to vote, pulls his knob in citherscries, he draws inward the lower extremity of thatnn euol' the lovers B which is connected with the knob pulled, thus causing the upper extremity of the same lever to move outward away from the back of the case A, and to withdraw the spring-plate that is attached to said lever from beneath the plate (Z which rests upon it. Its support being thus withdrawn,.the plate (1 drops in its guide-way until .it is arrested by the striking of its turned-down end (1' upon the upper end of the guide-way. Prior to falling the plate d showed a blank through the orifice in the display-plate, but, having fallen, it shows through said orifice the number of the seat of the member who pulled the knob, and this either in the yea or no series, according as the member may have pulled the yea or no-knob. Thus, as soon as all, the members have voted, the numbers of their seats and the nature of their votes may be seen from any part of the hall. On letting go the knob the spring-bar c at once draws the lever B back to its former position.

Between the turned-out ends of each series of plates (1 and the turned-in ends of the series of spring-plates that support thorn when drawn up, there is a horizontal bar, 0, outside the guide-ways of the plates 11, the bars a both sliding in the same guide-way in the back of the case A, and being connectcd so asto move together.

From the uppcrl hare a handle, j; extends upward, by which the bars may both be raised at the same time. w

The bars 0 as they rise catch the turned-out ends of the plates (1 and draw said plates upward until they are clear of the spring-plates a b, which thereupon slip under and hold them. The bars 0 should then be lowered till they rest on the top of the spring-plates a b.

In frontof the lovers ii, and at a. point about halfany from the fulcrum of said levers to their lower ends, is a horizontal frame, E, supported at its ends in the sides of the case A. 1

At the extremities of the frame E are two transverse horizontal cylinders y suitably supported so as to he rotatory. The central portion of theextcrior of the cylinder g is grooved longitudinally.

The cylinders {I g carry an endless chain, F, the

, rivets bctwoen whose links form cogs, which, entering the grooves of the cylindcry, impart the movement; of the same, when it is rotated, to the chain F.

The links of the chain 1" are flat plates, which, at their ends, are tinned at right angles to thebodies of the plates. so as to project upward from the upper part ofthe chain, and downward from its lower part.

These bent portions of the chain-plates are all similarly slotted, and in the slots of each plate lies a pin, h, placed crosswise of the chain. When the.

chain is at rest the extremities of those pins h that are above the frame E are opposite, say, the yealevers B, and the extremities of the pins that are below the frame E are opposite the nay-lcvcrs 13, and the extremities of all the pins are so near the levers that, when the latter are drawn outward in the act of voting, they strike the pins opposite and move them outward, also, so that they project further from the outer side of the chain F-than before the knobs were pulled. Of course not all the pins 71 arethus moved,

iu't bnly those that are opposite such of the you and nay-levers B as are drawn outward, the remaining pins 71 remaining stationary. The moving of the pins takes place at the same time as the dropping of the plates 2i, and, like that, is the work of the members 'who pull the knobs in votiu". These two results are all that the members personally accomplish, the remainder of the operation being performed by an attenda-nt.

Dircctlyiu front of the chain Fis an oblong frame, K, supported at its ends in brackets that project from the fronts of the standards where, in the previouslyexplained mechanism, are supported the brackets a, being large enough to give the frame K some play.

, Springs, 0, fastened to the frame .31 and pressing against the said standards, tend to keep the frame always at an interval from the standards. The interior of the frame K is divided by a central bar into 7 two horizontal spaces, and each of these spaces is divided by vertical partition-plates into a series of chambers, the number of chambers in each series being equal to the aggregate of the members--the chambers of the upper series being opposite the yea-pins 71-, and the chambers of the lower series being ipposite the nay-pins h, when the chain F is set for votill".

To each of the said chambers there is a'hloek, p, of a length somewhat greater than the width of the frame,

The said blocks are provided with shoulders that prevent them from being forced outof the chambers in eii-hcr direction, and that are far enough apart to allow the blocks the requisite freedom of motion.

On the front ends of the blocks 1) are convex cushions, q.

Directly in front of the cushioned blocks isaprintbig-press, consisting of a solid oblong block, L, in the rear side, of which are firmly imbedded two horizontal columns of types. the sections of eachcolumn-being formed of those letters which, set in the proper order, make up the individual members names, each column containing the names ofall the members; the sections of type in the upper column being opposite the blocks 1) of the yca-serics, and the sections in the lower column being opposite the blocks 1) of the nayseries.

A plate, M, hinged at one side to the upper side of the block L, and provided with two columns of slots for the sections of type to pass through, lies against the rear side of the block. The sections of type in each column are placed opposite the interval between the sections of the other column. 7

Elastic fingers, 'r, secured at one end to the outside of the plate M, near its uppcrcdge, each ringer by the side of one of the sections of type, extend downward, and are inclined away from the plate, so that their lower parts stand outside of the sections of the lower column of type.

A similar set of fingers, r, secured at their lower-- ends to the lower side of the plate M, one at the side of each section of type in the lower column, extend upward, and are inclined so' that their upper parts stand outside of the sections of the upper columns, the two sets of fingers extending past each other.

The block L is sustained. in an oblong frame, N, in such a manner as to be "easily removed, the frame N being provided with spring-plates, P, that tend to keep the block L alwaysprcssed out to the rear side' of the frame.

The frame N is attached to two horizontal bars, B, one at its upper and the other at its lower side, which bars projectontward from each end of the frame, and have journals at their extremities, which journals .are inserted in holes near the ends of the forks of two horizontal bifurcated bars, S, fig. 4, placed at right angles to the bars R, and sliding in sockets afiixod to the outer sides of the standards A A. The upper forks of the'bifurcated bars maybe sprung ontward for enough to clear the journals on the ends of the bars 1i, and thus admit of the turning down of the printing-press for the purpose of running an inking-roller over the types, after which the press is turned up again and the bars it once more connected with the bars S.

A vertical roller, T, fig. 9, is sustained in arms that extend outward from the frame K beyong one end of the block L.

Around this roller a strip of paper is ound, which strip is drawn across the face of the blocks p through guides, s, that project from the frame K,

To the sides of the bars S racks, S, are secured, outside the standards A.

A shaft, 0, passes through the standardsA'in front of and parallel with the row of levers B, and on the shaft 0 pinions O are secured, outside the standards A, and gearing with the racks On one end of the shalt O'side-faces are formed, which furuishabearing for the key by which the attendant turns the shalt. The turning of the shaft drawsthe bars S and the printing-press inward together. To the outer side of each standard A, beneath the pinious 0, two nearly horizontal levers, w, are jointed one above the other, below the bar S. The rear ends of each pair of the levels w are inclined toward each other to such an extent as to lie in the path of the bars S as the latter are moved rearward by the rotation of the shaft 0. Each bar S accordingly strikes the inclined ends of the levers between which it lies and forces the rear end of the upper lever upward, and the rear end of the lower lever downward. This movement of the lever w takes place atthe same time with each pair. Its effect is to draw the front ends of the upper levers downward together, and the front ends of the lower levers upward together.

The front ends of the upper levers u: are connected by a horizontal bar, \V, that passes through slots in the standards A, just in rear of the serrated wheel G, and just above the front ends of the voting-pins h of theyea-series. The front ends of the lower levers w are connected, by a similar horizontal bar, \V, that is just in rear of the serrated wheel G, and just beneath the ends of the voting-pins of the nay-series. I

Notches, x, are formed in the voting-pins, outside the chain F, in such position that thenotches of the voted pins of the yea-series are immediately beneath the bar W, and the notches of the voted pins of the nay-series are immediately above the bar VV', while the notches of such of the pins h as have not been wted or thrust forward be back of the bars W and The above-mentioned descent of the front ends of the upper-levers w, and ascent of the lowers levers w carry'th'e bars W and W into the notches a: of the voted pins h, and hold the same firmly. The same movement of the shaft 0 that accomplishes this result brings the sections of type in the printing-press into coutact'with the strip of'paper that lies against thecushionedends of the block 12, and also brings the spring plates j that are attached to the inner sides of the bms'S, into contact withthe ends of the frame K that'snstains said blocks 1;.

The continuation of the rotation of the shaft 0 causes the plates j to overcome the resistance of the springs that press the frame K forward, and to force said frame backward, carrying the blocks 1) with it. A

very slight backward movelnentof the frame K suffices to bring the rear ends of the blocks 1) into contact with the front ends of those plus it in each series that have been thrust forward by the pulling of the knobs a b. Asthese pins are held fast by the bars W W they stop such of the blocksp as strikes them, while the remaining, blocks continue to move rearward wit-h the frame'lt. The stopping of some of the blocks brings them at once under a pressure from the sections of type opposite them more or less powerful, according to the force applied; after that to the shaft 0; and this pressure'causes the types to strike oil" the names they bear upon the strip of paper, the fingers r and 1 being jforccd forward by such of the blocks 1: as stand out past the faces of the types that bear against those blocks, and the remaining fingers serving to bend the paper backward in front of those new blocks 1) that do not stand ollli, and thus prevent the types opposite such cushions from printing upon the paper. In this way those members who pull but the voting-pins, whether of the yea or no-series, effect the printing of their names, while the names of such members as do not vote escape being printed. In lbss than a minutes time the attendant can produce the printed list of the names o those who voted upon, either side of the question.

The printing having been completed, the attendant reverses the movement-of the shaft 0 and moves the press forward to its original place. The springs connected with the frame K and bars W W throw these parts into the positions they occupied prior to the printing operation, and the machine is ready for the nextoperation, which is that of footing up the number of votes cast on each side; The printing having been accomplished, the attendant applies a key to the projecting stud of the cylinder 9 and turns the same from left to right. This imparts rotation to the chain F, and the chain carries the pins h along with it.

The number of pins that project more than the oth'ers from the chain F is equal to the number of members who have voted. The yea-series of pins moves in one direction and the nay-series in the ,op-' posite. The projecting ends of the voted pins of 'the yea-series strike, one at a time, as the chain F moves along theteeth oi'asermted wheel, G, which is mounted vertically in the side of the case A outside of the patio in which the ends of the pins travel when not moved out, but directly in the path of the ends of such of the pins as are moved out. The consequence is that each one of the moved or voted pins it rotates the wheel G by the space of one tooth.

0n the opposite end of the shaft of .the wheel G is a drum, which is connected by a cord or band with a drum, 7.", fig. 6, that is fixed on the end of a shall above, which passes through the back of the case A.

On the rear end of this shaft is another large drum,

1, that bears the upper part of an endless chain, H, constructed of flat pieces with turned-out ends like. the chain F.

The turned-out ends of the plates of the chain H are parallel with the rear side of the case A, and on them is inscribed, in a regular series, all the whole numbers of the Arabic notation from 1 to the symbols denoting the aggregate of the members. The surfaces on which these numbers are inscribed should of course be large enough to be seen from any part of the hall, and the chain'H is made sufficiently long to answer this requirement, and is supported upon a second smaller drum, 1, below the drum H.

The turning of the wheel G one tooth brings one of the plates of the chain H opposite a large orilicc in 'thc display-plate, and shows through the orilicc the figures denoting the number of pins 70 that have struck the wheel G, or, in I other words, foots up the whole number of nay votes. The projecting pins It of the yea-series in like manner strike the teeth of a serrated wheel, G, that is mounted in the opposite side of the case A from the wheel G and below the chain E; and the whole number of yea votes is footed up by the chain of the drum l'placed at the opposite side of the case A from the drum 1', the mechanism that connects the wheel G and drum 1 being like that which connects the, wheel G and drum 1', and the figures on the chain' of the drum 1' showing through an orifice in the display-plate.

A horizontal block, m, fig. 5, is secured to the side of ,the case A'bencath the wheel G, the inner side of which block is inclined inward, the block being placed in such position that thc projecting ends of the voted pins'hof the yea-series strike its inclined side after having turned the wheel G, and are, by such incline, thrust back into their original position, so as to be within reach of theievers B when once more drawn A similar block is forward in' the voting process. placed above the wheel .G in a position where it opemtcs to thrust the pins h of the nay-series back as they pass it.

By the above-described mechanism the attendant; is enabled, within a. very few moments, to display to the assembly the sum of the votes cast-on both sides of the question. Resting on the top of the case A above the chain F is a knob, z. fig. 1, which is connected by a. wire, 2:, with a detent-,.z, which a spring presses downward upon the chain. Before beginning to rotate the chain the attendant raises the detent. On stopping the chain the detcnt holds it fast until raised again. e

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the levers B with the pins h and the voting-knobs a or b in such a manner as to enable the voter when he pulls the knob to thrust forward the pin either in the or nayseries, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the pins h with the endless chain Fin such manner that the pins, when thrust out by the. pulling of the knobs a or I), become cogs in the chain for the turning of the serrated wheels-G or G, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the endless chain F, the sliding pins, the wheels G or G, and the endless chains H in such manner as to enable the operator, by rotating the chain F, to cause the chains H to display the footings-up of the votes on both sides of the question, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the chain F, pins 71, and inclined blocks m, in'the manner and for the purpose specified 5. The pins h, provided with recesses x, and confined with the bar W or W, the lever w or w, and the bars s,-in the manner and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination of the pins h, bar W or W, block 1;, and block L, provided with col'mnns of type, tllesections of which bean-the names of the sevcml voters, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the printing-press L, frame N, sliding bars 3, and shaft 0 provided with pinions O, in the manner and for the purpose specified.

8. The combination of the sliding bars a, springplates j, and frame K, in the manner and for the purpose specified.

9. The combination of the block L, hinged plate M, and fingers r r, in the manner and for the purpose specified.

10. The combination of the chain F, detent knob x, and wire 2:, in the manner and for the purpose specified.

Du. ADA-N WESTON. Witnesses:

Jso. S. SMITH, 0. D. Psanonr. 

